The Ashelani
This page may refer to the Ashelani (a mantis race of Nationbuilder IV) or their nation. Overview The Ashelani were a race of primitive insectoid hunters, who developed sentience through a collaborative hivemind centered on their Queen. The race evolved with an inherent telepathy, which served as their primary form of communication. The Ashelani Queen would control the actions of the hive using this telepathy, with varying strength: while it gave broader instructions across the hive, it could also take control of a single member to perform more intricate tasks. The sentience of the Ashelani is linked directly to the size of the hive itself; the first Queen only attained 'sentience' due to the collective cognitive power of the Ashelani. Morphology The Ashelani, over the course of their existence, developed a variety of different forms to best suit the hive. The first to develop were the lowliest, the drones. As like all Ashelani, the drones were composed of a triple segmented body: The upper torso, the middle abdomen, and the lower abdomen. The upper torso is a mass primarily of muscle; it contains not only a set of arms, but also a pair of wings which lay upon the back. The arms of the drones terminate in a primitive hand, with three broad fingers. Within the upper torso lie the primary heart and lungs, with all of the digestive tract being contained in the middle abdomen. The middle abdomen is the second most muscular part of the Ashelani, with four legs which support the rest of the body, as well as a redundant heart. Due to the immense heat production of such an organism, the second heart is often used to increase circulation and reduce body temperature. The lower abdomen is the final part of the Ashelani, which is specialized in many types of Ashelani. In the drones, this part of the body is not only the terminus of the digestive tract, but also has glands which synthesize a multi-use waterproof resin. The next variation on the Ashelani body is the hunter or soldier class. These creatures bear several specializations which separate them from the benign drones. In place of their hands, long scythes extend downward, curving towards their body. The inside edge of these blades is serrated, to better hold the prey in place while powerful Ashelani mandibles bite down on it. Another powerful adaptation these predators feature is a form of adaptive camouflage built into their carapace. Using these two tools, the Ashelani found success within the jungle as ambush predators; a tactic which came to feature heavily in their military strategy. The third and most important variation on the Ashelani form is that of the Protoqueen. It is different in both body and mind, featuring an additional set of arms (giving them one set of scythes and one of hands) and heightened intelligence. They are the only Ashelani with personalities, which are as varied as any other sentient race. Despite this, they are do not possess free will; they are the servants of their Queen. However, they also possess a trait that was at first unique to Queens: the ability to directly assign orders to nearby Ashelani. This makes them an important intermediary between the swarms of the hive and the mind of the Queen. Other variations of the Ashelani exist as well, including a carcino-hybrid variant of soldiers and drones which are significantly larger and hardier than their purebred sisters. Culture The Ashelani culture is extremely foreign to most of the other races. Due to the way that the racial memory of the hivemind works, the Ashelani do not possess the capability for symbolic thought. That is to say, they have no artwork, language, or number system; simply because they are capable of remembering all of these things completely literally. Moreover, their communication with other races occurs entirely through thoughts as well, meaning that they have perfect understanding of what is trying to be said. While extremely convenient, this produces many social problems for them. Outside of the signature Ashelani bow, they rarely understand or follow the social protocols of other races, causing them to occasionally come off as rude. The bow, in which the Ashelani droops its antennae down to the floor and sweeps its scythes behind its back, is their sole polite mannerism. Entertainment Over the course of their development, it seems that only two things quell the emotions of anxious drones and soldiers; blood and song. While the protoqueens appreciate the effort other races put into their works of art and the cultural significance of such things, the lower castes have little time for such things. Yet the song of their mother will always calm an upset Ashelani, as it washes over their minds. Similarly, the Blood Pits, a form of Ashelani gladiatorial arena, are attractions for soldiers who do are not currently deployed. There, creatures of every race are pitted against each other and animals in fights to the death that can last for hours. This sates the soldiers' natural bloodlust. Moreover, it is a common attraction for other races as well, and the Blood Pit of the central hive has been rented twice for international tournaments. Cuisine While the Ashelani diet is strictly carnivorous, the observation of food customs of other races has led to the development of a unique Ashelani food culture. One of the most recognizable pieces of Ashelani Cuisine is Ashelani Artisan Down-Home Smoked Giant Insectoid Crab Jerky, an international sensation. Developed in the years after first contact with the Stavengar dwarves, the jerky is a product of the Carcinos, giant domesticated crabs which are the cornerstone of the Ashelani economy. Made with a mysterious assortment of 52 'special spices', the jerky found great success in the dwarven markets, and has become the hive's primary export. Another foodstuff adopted from the dwarves is the Ashelani carrion wine. Formulated by the Queen during the War for Dwarven Ale, it was meant to supplement the alcohol supplies of the drunken rebels. The alcohol itself is a product of the Blood Pits, is fermented by carrion maggots, which consume the corpses of the fallen and produce an incredibly alcoholic and strangely meat flavored wine. It is remarkable for its explosive properties and deep crimson coloration. The sole culinary creation of the Ashelani hive was not intended at all for the international market. Ashelani fisheries had long existed only in the shallow waters of the coast and the jungle rivers, and made a small impact on the Ashelani economy. However, when nautilisks were introduced to the hive, the Queen decided they could be used to reach new fisheries which only existed at depth in the ocean. With this decision, twice digested fish was born. The fish, vomited up by the nautilisks after each fishing session, was designed to be fit only for drone consumption. However, it found a cult following among refugees from the Reich, many of who claimed it was the food they could really taste anymore. Since then, Ashelani twice digested fish has spread internationally with the refugees, and in rare location is considered a delicacy. Category:Nations of Celtanus